Thursday, 1 August 2024 The Australian Council for International Development (ACFID), the peak body for Australian humanitarian action, warns the recent escalations in violence in the Middle East risk catastrophic consequences for civilians and may push the region's already dire humanitarian crisis to a breaking point.
The intensification of conflict in Gaza, the West Bank, Israel and Lebanon is having a multiplying effect. There are over 70 million people in need of humanitarian assistance across the region, including 27 million children, with only 18% of global humanitarian funding pools resourced so far in 2024.
ACFID calls on the Australian Government to redouble its diplomatic efforts with allies and other states to press for an immediate end to hostilities. It is imperative that humanitarian agencies receive unimpeded access to provide critical assistance in affected areas.
"As armed conflicts escalate, it is civilians who pay the ultimate price. The ongoing violence has exacerbated an already dire humanitarian situation, with impacts on critical infrastructure, health services, and essential supplies," said Naomi Brooks, ACFID's Humanitarian Advisor.
The crisis has further strained an already fragile humanitarian system in the region, with access for international agencies limited at best.
"The ability for humanitarian assistance to be provided remains extremely difficult, and long-standing norms of international humanitarian law continue to be eroded," said Ms Brooks.
Furthermore, ACFID calls on all parties to abide by the rulings of the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice.
